Stories by Amanda Mason

Business owners thinking of setting up shop on the Net should be aware of the risks involved in doing so. The real risk comes from the fact that on the Internet, the customer never signs for their purchase. Because of this, the banks view the transaction as MOTO (mail order/telephone order) or "card not present".

Despite the cloud of doom and gloom of the market that has been hovering over the tech industry for the last year, industry analysts are still forecasting huge growth in the online sector. According to ActivMedia, firms that do business both on and offline project that by the end of 2000, 25 per cent of their revenue will come from the Web.

Christmas shoppers are going online in record numbers and, according to a leading Australian analyst, $150 million was spent online last Christmas in Australia alone by some 598,000 Australian Internet users. Deloitte and Touche, in its annual holiday spending survey conducted along with the American National Retailers Foundation, found that 82 per cent of consumers are expected to spend more this year than last.

I've lost a lot amount of money this year. I do get some comfort in the knowledge that I'm not alone, but it still hurts to look at my bank balance. Although many analysts were predicting the fallout of tech stocks early this year and conservative investors warned of getting into "risky" shares, the promise of huge returns was too much for some investors.

The Olympics has provided some of the greatest displays of sporting ability the world has seen. But it has also shown the world a great way to efficiently use the Internet as a means of making money. I'm not talking about online ticket sales, but the use of an online auction to drive up prices of Olympic memorabilia.

Imagine you are Andrew Lloyd Webber ready to put on your first Broadway show. You've composed a great musical score, you've chosen the best talent and you're ready to roll out the production. Opening night comes around and there aren't enough seats, the costume designers haven't delivered what they promised and the power fails so your lights and sound don't work.

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